Two Sisters

By Elisa Hoyos






























Characters:

Alice- Older sister. 26, care taker of the family, very responsible, overbearing, likes to do things
by the book. Always searching for answers.

Lucy- Younger sister. 20, extremely bright but has no sense of direction. Doesnt worry about
the consequences. Very insecure on the inside but on the outside she puts on a tough exterior.

Mr. Berenson- Middle aged, not very personable, everything is strictly business.




Scene one



Lights up on a living room. It is morning. There is a couch, coffee table, and side table with a
phone on it in the center of the room. Stage right, there is a door that leads into a bedroom. The
lights are dim on a room with a bed and a night table next to it. The room is messy with clothes
scattered all over the floor. We see feet sticking out from under the covers. Alice enters the
living room with her purse, it is apparent that she is in a rush to get to work. She is putting on
her jewelry, earrings or a watch, etc. She sees her shoe next to the coffee table, picks it up and
puts it on. She looks around the room for the other shoe but is unable to find it. She gets down
on her hands and knees and looks under the coffee table and around the couch. Just then, the
door bell rings. Alice answers the door.


Alice: Hi Mr. Berensen. Good morning. How can I help you?

Mr. Berenson: Morning. I came by to collect the rent.

Alice: Oh yes, please come in. I have the rent right here. I was going to drop it off to you this
afternoon on my lunch break. Did you get my message?
(Alice rummages through her purse and pulls out an envelope and hands it to Mr. Berensen)

Mr. Berensen: Yes I did. But I was in the building and figured I would just stop by.
(Mr. Berensen begins to count the money out)

Alice: Well, thanks again for the extension Mr. Berenson. I promise, this wont continue to be
an issue.

(Looking up at her now with a quizzical stare)
Mr. Berenson: You are three hundred dollars short.

Alice: Pardon me? Wait no, thats not possible II counted out the money last night before I
went to bed. There was exactly fifteen hundred dollars.

Mr. Berenson: Listen, I dont have time for games. You are already two weeks past due on the
rent. This is the third time youve been late. I cant keep giving you chances.

Alice: Im sorry Mr. Berenson, I dont know how this could have happened. Im positive it was
all there last night. Maybe I accidentally misplaced it somehow(she rummages through her
purse, flustered and red in the face)

Mr. Berenson: You have to the end of the week. If I dont have the rent by then, Ill have to
evict you.

Alice: I understand. I will get the rest of the money to you, I promise.

Mr. Berensen leaves. Alice stands for a moment in disbelief trying to figure out what happened
to the money. Suddenly she realizes there is only one person who could have taken it. Alice
knocks frantically at Lucys bedroom door


Alice: Lucy! Lucy, Open the door! I need to talk to you Lucy!!

Lucy: (irritated and groggy from just waking) What!? Whats the matter? Whats going on?

Alice: How could you do it? How could you take that money when you know that our ass is
already on the line with Mr. Berenson.

Lucy: What are you talking about?

Alice: If I dont have the rest of that money by the end of the week, were out on the street!

Lucy: I didnt take any money. And why dont you calm down. Mr. Berenson isnt going to kick
us out. Legally he has to give us 30 days to find someplace else to live.

Alice: Thats not the fucking point! The point is, you have a serious problem that you refuse to
acknowledge and I am done with pretending like nothing is going on. Do you really want to end
up like Dad? Huh?

Lucy: I dont know what youre talking about?

Alice: Yes you do. All the signs are there. You havent been to work in days. Youre up all hours
of the night and you sleep all day. So what are you using? Cocaine, Meth? Or Dads
choicecrack?

Lucy: Oh, shut up!

Alice: FineI bet if I looked through your room Id find something. (She heads for her bedroom)

Lucy: Stay out of my room!

Alice is now rummaging through Lucys belongings. She is tossing clothes out of dresser
drawers, looking under the bed.

Lucy: What the fuck are you doing!? Get out of my room!

Alice ignores Lucy and continues searching.

Lucy: I mean it, GET OUT!!

Alice: And dont think I havent noticed my shit going missing. (She finds some clothes of hers)
This is mine. And so is this. (Just then she finds her other shoe shed been looking for. She holds
it up) Figures.

Lucy: I said, get out!

Alice: Do you want to know what I did yesterday after begging Mr. Berenson for an extension
because you didnt have your half of the rent? I went out and bought a double bolted lock for
my bedroom door. I cant believe its come to this. I mean, I feel like a prisoner in my own
house(Lucy stares at her with a blank expression)

Alice: Well, are you going to say anything?

Lucy: what do you want me to say! I already told you, I didnt take that money.

Alice: You are such a goddamn liar.

Lucy: You know what, fuck you! Miss high and mighty. You think youre so perfect. Just
because you never made one mistake in your whole life, you think you can walk around telling
me what to do and how to live my life.

Alice: Someone has to light a match under your ass to get you to do anything around here.

Lucy: You treat me like Im a god damned child. Why dont you just worry about yourself for
once and stay out of my business. You always talk about how you want to finish school and
travel the world. Thats your problem, all you do is talk. The truth is youre too afraid to actually
do anything about it.

Alice: Well who the hell else was going to take care of everything? You were too young to
remember when Mom left and Dad could barely take care of himself. So you tell me, who else
was supposed to feed you, and tuck you in bed at night, and stay up with you when you had a
bad dream? Huh? I didnt have a choice, ok.

Lucy: Yes you did. Maybe not when we were younger but Im 20, so whats your excuse now?
You dont even know what it is you want. Thats why your boyfriend dumped you, because
youre so god damned indecisive and afraid to make any real decisions with your life. Its
pathetic.

Alice: How dare you! You ungrateful bitch! (Alice charges at Lucy knocking her to the ground.
They roll around smacking each other, in unsuccessful attempts to try to hurt one another)

Lucy: Stop it! Get off of me!! GET OFF!!!

Alice: I hate you! Youve always been a burden, and Im sick and tired of you!

(Lucy manages to push Alice off of her. They both sit out of breath on the floor. Alices work
clothes are disheveled and Lucys bun is now hanging down in a little ball at the tip of her hair.
They both realize how ridiculous they look and burst into laughter. After a minute Alices
laughter turns into tears. Lucy is up on her feet fixing her hair quietly laughing to herself
thinking the fight has been squashed.)(Alice finally manages to say)

Alice: I cant do this anymore. I wont live like this. I want you out of the house.

Lucy: What? You cant kick me out. I pay rent here.

Alice: You havent paid rent in over a month and by the looks of it, you probably already lost
your job. Besides, my name is the one on the lease so technically I have the right to kick you out
if you dont pay rent.

Lucy: Well, where the hell am I supposed to go?

Alice: Thats your problem. Like you said, Im not your Mother. Im through with taking care of
you and cleaning up your messes. I want you out by the end of the week. After that, Im
changing the locks. (Alice gets up, brushes herself off, grabs her purse and heads out the door)

(Lucy stares after her dumbfoundedas the lights fade to black)


Scene two


Four weeks laterAlice paces back and forth in the living room. She sits on the sofa and then
nervously starts pacing again. She hasnt heard from Lucy in over a month. The phone rings and
Alice rushes to answer it

Alice: (Eagerly) Hello? Oh, hey Tina. No, I havent heard from her yet. I know, I already tried but
her cell phone is disconnected. Yes, I checked the hospitals. I I just wish I knew where she was
and if shes okwell thank you. I appreciate your concern. Ill let you know if I hear
anythingok, bye. (She hangs up the phone and continues pacingthe phone rings again)

Alice: Hello? Yes, it is. YesOh my God, is she ok?...Just a few bruises but no broken bones?
Well, can she have visitors? Ok, well how much is her bail? Wellwell I cant afford thatso
shell be released next week then? (hesitating to ask) Will she need a lawyer?...Ok, well, thank
you for the informationI willthank you, goodbye. (Alice hangs up the phone and sits quietly
for a minute reflecting on the news she was just givenshe puts her head in her hands and
starts crying)


Scene three



Lights up on the living room one week later. Alice and Lucy enter. Lucy sits on the sofa. She is
wearing sweat pants and a large t-shirt that has the word COUNTY on it in big bold letters. She
has a bruise on her right eye and a cut on her lip. Alice puts her things down and they are both
silent for a moment.

Alice: Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat? (Lucy shakes her head no, and continues
to sit in silence staring at the floor)

Alice: Listen, I know you dont want to talk about this right now butwhat are you going to do?
(Lucy continues staring at the floor not saying a word)

Alice: I want to help you Lucy. Just tell me what to do and Ill do it. Whatever it takes, well
figure it out.

Lucy: I dont need anything. Im fine, I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It could
have happened to anyone. Maybe if you wouldnt have kicked me out, this never would have
happened.

Alice: I cant believe what youre saying. All Im trying to do is help you. Cant you see that? I
mean, look at your face? Is this really how you want to live your life?

Lucy: You know what, Im done listening to the lecture. Thanks for picking me upI gotta go.

Alice: Where are you going?

Lucy: Im staying with a friend

Alice: (running to the door) Wait! Please. Just hear me out for a minute Please?

Lucy hesitantly walks back to the couch and sits.

Alice: Look, I know that I can be hard on you sometimes and that I nag at you a lot, but its
because I see the path youre headed down and I dont want that life for you. Youre better
than that.

Lucy: You treat me like a child. You make me feel like an idiot who cant do anything for myself.

Alice: I know, youre right. Im sorry. Im not your Mother. I guess Im just trying to be that
stable, responsible figure in your life. Someone you could look up to.

Lucy: I appreciate everything youve done for me but sometimes I just need a sister. Not a
parent, not a warden, just a sister.

Alice: Youre right. I have been over bearing the past few months. Im just trying really hard to
keep everything togetheryou knowI try so hard. Its not easy.

Lucy: Stop trying so hard. Im not your responsibility anymore, ok.

Alice: (Alice nods her head) Yeah I guess I thought I could protect you from all the crazy shit
that went on. You were so little when Mom left. I remember one night, it wasnt long after she
left, and Dad was on a bender drinking. He woke us up in the middle of the night and said he
was taking us to the zoo. Like we used to when Mom was around. You used to love going to the
zoo to look at the animals. We all got in the car. You and me sat in the back. You had your head
in my lap and I was singing you a song and running my fingers through your hair so you
wouldnt think anything was wrong. I was scared. But when I looked down at you, you were
looking up at me with those big bright eyes, and your thumb in your mouth. And you werent
scared. You just kept looking at me, almost dream like. I always wondered what you were
thinking. We never made it to the zoo though. We were eventually pulled over by the police
and Dad was arrested. We had to wait at the police station until Nana came to get us.

Lucy: I remember that night. Youre right I wasnt scared. I remember being in your arms and
feeling safe. I felt like nothing bad could ever happen because you were with me. I felt so safe,
and loved at that moment. Its one of the few moments from my childhood that I cherish.

Alice tries to reach out to Lucy to embrace her. Lucy pulls away and heads for the door. Before
leaving she turns to Alice

Lucy: I want you to know, I always looked up to you. You were my big sister. My hero but I
gotta go.

Lucy leaves. Alice stands looking at the door. She slowly makes her way back to the couch and
sits. Lights fade to black.


The end